To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assets of his Department are planned to be sold in each year from 2009-10 to 2013-14; what the (a) description and (b) book value of each such asset is; what the expected revenue from each such sale is; and if he will make a statement. (300200)

The Government have stated their intention to realise £16 billion in asset disposals over the period 2011-14 and they published further details of opportunities to commercialise business assets in the Operational Efficiency Programme: Asset Prospectus on 7 December 2009. This presented different options for ownership on a number of public sectors assets. British Waterways and the Public Forest Estate in England were the two DEFRA assets included in the prospectus—the Government do not currently have plans to sell either asset.

The Department has approximately £6.9 million (book value £10.2 million) of surplus properties for disposal this year arising from the sale of land, residential and office premises. Anticipated disposals from land and laboratory premises are expected to realise £9 million in 2010-11 (book value £8 million) and £2 million in 2011-12 (book value £10 million). There are currently no identified disposals for years beyond 2011-12.